"Mood" (Japanese: “
Overview[]
Karasuno continues to put pressure on Ojiro as the second set continues. Kenma analyzes the situation from the audience, noting how Aran's mental state is decreasing. Aran is then subbed out with Inarizaki's captain, Shinsuke Kita, to change the flow of the match.
Plot[]
The chapter starts off with Inarizaki calling for the first timeout of the second set. The match continues later with Kageyama's turn to serve. Kageyama does a spike serve and Osamu fails to receive it; hence, Karasuno earns a point. Kindaichi and Hinata both watch him with envy. In Kageyama's third serve, Ginjima barely receives it and the ball is passed to Aran who spikes the ball out. With Kageyama's serve, Inarizaki's libero receives it but the ball travels back to Karasuno's side. With the ball on their court, Kageyama immediately goes into a set-up position and tosses the ball to Hinata who spikes it but Atsumu receives it. Osamu tosses the ball to Aran who finally scores.
Osamu serves the next round but he uses too much strength after being distracted by Atsumu and serves out of the court. Atsumu scolds Osamu for making such a bad serve but Aran hits Atsumu's head as he was somewhat in the wrong as well. Kuroo comments that Inarizaki relaxed after the large point gap but with Kageyama's pressuring serves, they became agitated. Kenma also adds on—mentally—that once a person's mentality falters, it could cause faults to appear and affect the game.
Karasuno is wary of Kita coming in.
Aran is later subbed out, Kita taking his place. Saeko is shocked that Aran would be reserved then but Shimada states that with the point gap, Inarizaki would want to save Aran's energy for the next set. Saeko is provoked by this but Takinoue points out that Kita is the captain; hence, it is not just a simple substitute. The chapter ends off with Kita mentally reassuring the Karasuno members that he is truly a normal "substitute" player that they don't need to be afraid of and that he was only there to calm things down.